ordinances of the Koran, and their Mohammedanism is mixed up with
traces of their original religion."

"Ah, that explains why the chief's name was Hassan. I wondered
that a Malay should have a Mohammedan name. They are not much like
Arabs in figure. Of course, Hassan is a very fine looking man, and
some of the other chiefs we saw at Penang were so; but most of them
are shorter than we are, and very ugly."

"Yes, in figure and some other points they much resemble the Burmese,
who are probably blood relations of theirs. The chiefs are finer
men, as you will always find in the case in savage or semi savage
peoples, for, of course, they have the pick of the women, and
naturally choose the best looking. Their food, too, is better and
their work less rough than that of the people at large.

"The sons and daughters of the chiefs naturally intermarry, and
the result is that in most cases you will find the upper classes
taller, better formed, lighter in color, and of greater intelligence
than the rest of the people. This would be specially the case in a
trading people like the Malays; their ships would bring over girls
purchased in India, just as the ruling classes in Turkey used to
obtain their wives from Circassia; and this, no doubt, has helped
to modify the original Malay type."

"Thank you, Doctor; I think I shall like the Malays now I know
something about them. Is it true that they are so treacherous?"

"I don't know, Parkhurst; doubtless they are treacherous in their
wars; that is to say that they consider any means fair to deceive